ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Free software

Free software is software that can be used, copied, or changed free of charge. It is different from other types of software, like the software you might buy in a store or download from the internet, because it lets people use, copy, and change it without needing to ask approval from anyone or pay money. The goal of free software is to let people have more control over the technology that is used in their lives.